crackers and dip
Inspired by the ingredients in my fridge, I spent Saturday afternoon making dips. I had just received fresh mint from 41North in my weekly farm share and decided to make a mint pea dip which had been on my ‘to do’ list for a while. So refreshing and yummy! The eggplants in my fridge had been waiting all week to be made into smoky eggplant dips and finally I had time to make one of my favorite recipes. Once the dips were made, I went to taste them and realized I had no crackers! No worries I thought, I will just make some! The last couple of months have made me pretty resilient and creative at using whatever ingredients I have in my house. I have attempted more new recipes in the last 2 months than in the last 2 years! I even made home made pizza dough on Friday night! After making this super easy cracker recipe, I am inspired to try more cracker recipes. I love interesting and ‘gourmet’ crackers but I hate spending $7 for a box of crackers that will be eaten in one sitting. So now I am on a mission to recreate my favorite fig and olive crackers. Stay posted! Even my husband loved these crackers! For now, I hope you enjoy these simple and easy recipes. Enjoy!
Mint Pea Dip
I love making this dip in the spring. It is so refreshing and such a beautiful color! This recipe comes from Naturally Nourished by Sarah Britton. I halved the recipe which is ample for 1 to 2 people.
Ingredients
16 ounces/ 500g fresh of frozen peas
1/3 cup packed cup/ 7g fresh mint leaves
1 large garlic clove
2 tablespoons tahini
¼ cup/ 60ml freshly squeeze lemon juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon fine sea salt
Creating the Magic!
1. Fill a small saucepan with water and bring it to a boil. Add the peas and cook until they are bright green and sweet, 2 to 3 minutes, being careful not to over. Drain and rinse the peas under very cold water to halt the cooking process. Set aside.
2. Roughly chop the mint leaves. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, pulse the garlic until minced. Add the peas, mint, tahini, lemon juice, olive oil, and salt, and puree until smooth.
4. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 to 4 days, but try to consume the dip as quickly as possible.
Refreshing mint and pea dip
Smoky Eggplant Dip
This dip has made me fall back in love with eggplants (or aubergines as they are called in Great Britain). The roasted garlic makes the dip a little sweeter and less pungent than using raw garlic.
Ingredients
Half a head of garlic (or roast the whole thing for ease!)
2 medium size eggplants
3 tablespoons roasted tahini (or regular tahini will work)
Zest and juice of ½ small lemon
2 dashes of cayenne
2 dashes of paprika
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
Creating the Magic!
1. Pre-heat your oven to 425°F.
2. Slice the eggplant into 8 wedges. Drizzle with olive oil and salt and place on a baking tray.
3. Rub garlic with olive oil, wrap in foil and place on the tray.
4. Roast in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes – turning the eggplants half way through. The eggplants should be nicely browned/golden on all sides.
5. Remove the eggplants and the garlic from the oven. Let them cool. Then scrap out the flesh and discard the skins.
6. Peel roasted garlic and place a couple of cloves in the food processor. You can always add more!
7. Place the eggplants along with the tahini and lemon juice in the food processor. Process until you have you a smooth paste. Add the cayenne, paprika, salt and parsley. Season to taste. Add more garlic as desired. Serve with a drizzle of olive oil.
Smoky eggplant dip with micro basil
Homemade Seed Crackers
Ingredients
250g all purpose flour
25g pumpkin seeds
25g flaxseed
25g sunflower seeds
15g sesame seeds
5g poppy seeds
50g olive oil
5g fine sea salt (or sub with seasoned salt)
100g water
Garlic salt or other seasoning to sprinkle on top of crackers
Creating the Magic!
1. Pre-heat the oven to 335 °F. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper.
2. Place all the seeds in a bowl with the flour and salt (5g). Add the oil and water. Mix until you have dough. Knead for about 2 minutes.
3. Place the dough on a floured surface. Roll out the dough until it is very thin (about as thin as you can go without breaking it).
4. Cut into small squares or rectangles. Gently place each square on the baking sheet. Sprinkle with garlic salt or any type of seasoned salt or seasoning. Have fun experimenting with different flavors. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes – or until the crackers are slightly brown and snap when you break them. Store in an airtight container.